Vienna, May 18 (IANS): The Austrian government has announced a new relief package worth 500 million euros ($542 million), to help vulnerable citizens cope with high inflation.

Families with children will particularly benefit from the aid package, the government has underlined, with those on unemployment benefits and social assistance receiving an additional 60 euros per child each month until the end of 2024, reports Xinhua news agency.

This monthly payment also applies to single parents who earn less than 2,000 euros per month, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF.

Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch told a press conference on Wednesday that families with children, particularly single mothers, are most affected by inflation.

Also on Wednesday, Statistics Austria said that inflation in Austria rose from 9.2 per cent in March to 9.7 per cent in April, due to continued price increases for food, rents, and household energy.

The central European country's inflation has remained high despite falling energy prices in recent months.

According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, annual inflation in Austria stood at 9.6 per cent in April, well above the bloc's average of 7 per cent.